Posted by Tisha Tolar on July 2, 2009
Interesting that even the great philosopher’s knew that it’s the moms that rock this world. Case in point, the phrase “Necessity, who is the Mother of Invention” (Plato, The Republic -Greek author & philosopher in Athens 427 BC - 347 BC) . Note that Plato did not use the term ‘father’ - and for good reason.
We moms do it all. Granted there are still those who can fathom hitting, hurting, or God forbid - killing their children or other loved ones - but I believe those people have always been a few protons short of atom or had mothers themselves who did not do right by their family. Mothers typically are expected to do it all and the moms that I know are definitely willing to do it. We work, we clean, we organize, we play, we love…each and every day. Sure, it’s not easy but definitely rewarding.
I write all this as my butt is dragging across the floor as if I was a dog with an itch. My work, volunteer work, social engagements, family commitments, and trip planning are all kicking my ass in the same week. Not to mention the kid’s birthday is next week and I’ve only just remembered to do something about it. It’s hectic, especially because for at least 18 hours of the day I am working to keep my at-home career job going and improving and at the same time, planning tactics to sell my first novel (due soon). At the same time, I’ve become a travel agent for 8 for a trip in exactly 87 days. And - to add to the mix, I’ve been co-planning a fundraising dance, and got suckered…I mean,,, volunteered to be the kid’s co-soccer coach with practices beginning in August - yeah, like next month! Oh - did I mention - school is out, camp is over, and my daughter has a natural reflexive action to open her mouth and jabber each and every time I turn my attention to the computer?
So, remember mom- Plato was a pretty damn smart person. He said necessity is the MOTHER of invention - not the grandpa or the uncle or the cousin. Mother. Just take a look at my current schedule and tell me you can’t find it in yourself to at least try to make a new situation work for you. It’s now July, a great time to plan for your big jump when school resumes. If you don’t even have kids to care for at home anymore, not much else is stopping you. While times may be rough now career-wise because of the blessed (cursed) work-life balance, I know that with every seed I am planting today (in between the loads of laundry), I am setting myself and my family up for a better future. What I struggle for today, will reward me later. It won’t happen overnight but it will happen.
I’ll leave you with the inspiration for this post: Next week is the kid’s seventh birthday. Since this is her last week of camp, I offered (silly me) to bake cupcakes for the kids so she could at least celebrate among friends since school is out. On top of the 1,001 things on my to do list today, I figured I’d start working then break to make cupcakes. Lo and behold, I am baking cupcakes for 24 and had exactly 21 cupcake cups. Referring to Plato, I racked my brain cells and came up with a brillllliiiant idea (think Blair on the Facts of Life). I made 12 cupcakes and a 9″ cake. Cut the cupcakes in half and made a flower cake inste
ad! I even took a picture to show you my inventiveness. (see below)
We EM bloggers hope you and your family and friends have a wonderful Independence Day! Think about how much you’d like to free yourself and then do something about it!!
Posted by Tisha Tolar on June 23, 2009
Website: 
CMD Gifts, LLC/ Penny Stones
Company Description:
CMD Gifts, LLC, makes gifts to enhance communication and strengthen relationships. CMD Gifts’ premier product, Penny Stones, are elegant and fun conversation starters. Available at gift stores nationwide, Penny Stones are manufactured in Cleveland, Ohio by people with disabilities. Tammy Gentry, CEO of CMD Gifts and creator of Penny Stones, is an expert on communication and a dynamic public speaker. For more information about CMD Gifts and Penny Stones, please visit www.pennystones.com.
Tammy Gentry and her family loved playing with conversation stones that were a gift from a friend. She had the idea to create new product. She wanted to see what people’s initial reaction would be, so she created some stones as gifts for friends.
Tammy was a stay-at-home mom when she started Penny Stones but she had a background in sales, advertising, and marketing before she became a mom. She says her family has been very supportive. Tammy has three children, ages 9.8, and 6.Through the success of her business, she even has enabled her husband to work in the accounting side of her business. Her children think it’s great that she has started her own business. The downside for them is Tammy’s traveling to trade shows and meetings.
Like many mom business owners, she has trouble “turning off” when the school day ends. She says “I’ve gotten better, but there’s always something I want to work on and my children have started to resent the computer.” She currently works out of her master bedroom. It used to be her habit to wake up and turn on the computer but she has learned instead to make the kids a priority and only after the bus leaves does she get to work. She starts with a to-do list before heading in to eamil to keep her priorities straight. Otherwise she says “my inbox can inadvertently become my “to do” list and things with a higher priority don’t get done. I make all my appointments between 9 and noon (when my kindergartener gets off the bus; can’t wait for next year!)
Since her business is out of the startup phase, Tammy has been able to shift focus a bit. “Now that the process of starting a business is behind me, I’ve shifted my focus back towards my family. In the beginning, there were so many things I had to do at once, it didn’t seem like I could ever slow down. My family was understanding and supportive but I knew they needed more attention from me. Now that we’ve been in business for almost a year, I’ve been able to settle in to the role of owner/CEO and not put such high expectations on myself.”
Her own struggles of feeling overwhelmed result from having to appear at trade shows. “I feel especially overwhelmed before a tradeshow. In the past, I worked at tradeshows for large companies. I would show up, do my job in the booth, and go home. Now I’m responsible for every aspect of the booth. I try to write every detail down and do as much as I can beforehand. My motto is ‘Do the best you can with what you have.’ I try to remember that and not get too stressed about all the details.”
Tammy feels good about the encouragement she gets from other women. “The most rewarding thing is the reaction I have received from other women when they find out I started my own company. They are so supportive and encouraging. I never thought I would be an inspiration to anyone.” She advises other entrepreneurs looking to market a product, to consider all that is involved. “It’s very expensive to start a company and get a new product known. Estimate how much money you think you’ll need to start your company. Double that amount and you might be close.”
Tammy’s final words of wisdom for the entrepreneur: Do the best you can with what you have. You’ll make it better as you go.
Thanks, Tammy! Your story is very inspirational and rings a bell with us EM bloggers! If you want to know more about Tammy, her Penny Stones product, or to pick her brain about all things business, contact her through her website. We salute you, Tammy for being an Empowered Mom!
Posted by Tisha Tolar on June 22, 2009
The EM bloggers have been busier than a one-legged man in an ass-kicking contest! It’s one of those weeks when the more work we done, the more seems to morph onto our to-do list. Alas, we are behind in all facets of life. Not to mention us full time worker bees are also full time moms. But let’s do a recap and spread some new news….
First - I am a member of StartUpNation.com. A great site for entrepreneurs. They even gave me a guest posting opportunity. They are currently sponsoring a Best Home-Based Business 100 Competition on the site and Trifecta Strategies, LLC is one of the contenders. We are really excited and looking to be REAL HOT at the end of the contest. You can vote everyday so tell everyone you know to vote! Go HERE to vote!
Also - I am still in the throes of getting my first fiction novel out. “Gen X” looks like it will be out in July. I will definitely keep EMB readers informed of the release date. There may even be a free giveaway for EMB readers in the near future. For now, you can sign up to the mailing list at www.genxthenovel.com.
Mom Biz Series - I am a little behind on last week’s business spotlight. Fear not - I will be bring you a new one very soon. If you know any mom biz owners that deserve the spotlight, contact me via the contact info on this site. In the mean time check out the highlights on Tick-A-Too and Melissa Sullivan,
Belated Happy Father’s Day to all the dads out there that are supporting and cheering on the empowered mother’s of their children!
Posted by Tisha Tolar on June 9, 2009
Website:
Company Description:
Tick-A-Too is a unique online children’s boutique with a large selection of baby gifts, clothes, toys, and furniture.
Molly, proprietor of Tick-A-Too, was 18 when she had her first child. She had never held a job before that nor did she have a credit card or even a bank account. But starting Tick-A-Too was something Molly knew she wanted to do and did so without question.
“Starting a business was a pretty spontaneous decision for me. I spent a lot of time looking for bargains on clothing for my daughter. I wanted her to have nice clothes, but didn’t want to pay too much. One day I woke up and had a “light bulb moment“. What if I could buy the clothing wholesale? I would get the best price and I could also sell the clothing at a great price too. It would be a win-win. I registered my business that same day and started looking for products to sell. I had absolutely no idea what I was doing – but I did it anyway.”
When Molly first started Tick-A-Too, she had a family of three. Interestingly, while Molly had the support of her husband, she didn’t tell anyone else about what she was doing. Her reasoning was that she didn’t want anyone else to discourage her from following her dream. She already knew the beginning steps would be hard. But, at this point, she now has three kids and her business and inventory is growing. She has learned so much from when she started and she continues to learn new things about her business every single day.
Being a mother and an entrepreneur is no doubt a lot of work. Molly says “Now that the kids are a little older (ages 4,6,8), it’s getting much easier, but I do remember the days when it seemed impossible. You need to learn to work more by working less. I used to feel like I was working ALL the time and NOTHING was getting done. That can happen when you are trying to take care of everyone and everything at the same time. I love being with my kids. I love being there when they need me. If my kids forget their lunch, homework, or are feeling sick, I can be there within minutes. I can do so much more at home than I could working for someone else.”
Molly works from home. During the day, two of her children are in elementary school with the third one attending preschool part time. Molly plans her day using the hours her children are in school. “I try to get as much done before the kids come home from school. Once they are home, I turn off the computer and take care of the kids’ needs. It’s working out well. When they were younger. I used to work at night. That worked for a while, but eventually I got wiped out and that was not good for me, the kids, my husband or my business.”
Molly definitely feels successful at balancing work and family life but it took some time to realize the nature of priorities in her life. “I only felt success AFTER I shifted my priorities. My kids were always at the top of the list, but I always put myself last. It took me a while to figure out, that by putting myself last, I was not doing anyone any favors. I was either taking care of the kids or was working on my business during my spare time. That eventually took a toll. I didn’t exercise, eat right, or get the rest I needed. I felt like a zombie. I finally put myself at the top of that list and now I can feel the success. I now have the energy for my kids, husband and business.”
Working for yourself and managing a family, especially a young one, can often be the kiss of death for many entrepreneurial moms, who may end up feeling so overwhelmed with daily life that they eventually decide to give up the business. Molly has definitely had her share of those overwhelming feelings but offers this sage advice: “Don’t think about ALL the things that need to get done, think about ONE thing that needs to get done. Do it, and then think about the next thing that needs to get done.”
Molly has had her share of ups and downs learning the ins and outs of the business world. Her biggest stumbling block? “There are so many things I wish I knew before starting. One thing that probably would have saved me time and money is knowing which web designer/web hosting companies to go with. I had to go through a couple of designers and hosting companies before getting one that I was happy with.”
Her advise for other entrepreneurial moms who have the drive and ambition to start a new business idea is: “I know a lot of moms that have so much potential, but they just don’t know where to start or what to do. I knew absolutely nothing when I started. If I can do it, you can too. There is so much info on the internet. You can research everything and anything, from setting up your business to marketing your business. Maybe you have young kids and don’t want to jump in with both feet. You can take it slowly. It’s never to early/late to put your foot through the door.”
Thanks so much to Molly of Tick-A-Too for sharing her experience as an entrepreneurial mom! Tick-A-Too certainly looks like an amazing shop for moms and kids alike. Take some time today to check out Molly’s hard work. She even has some incredibly cute pictures of her little girls on there in the About Us section. If you place an order at Tick-A-Too (and really how could you not??), make sure you tell Molly you saw her story on Empowering Mom Blog.
Posted by Trisha Wagner on June 8, 2009
A few weeks ago, my good friend and one of my partners in crime dropped a not-so-subtle hint that it is time for an update on my progress as a work at home mom. So without further delay, here is my update.
When I started in January, my first concern was quickly replacing my old income to ensure I was able to stay on top of my bills. This is a common concern felt by everyone in this economy which made leaving a “secure” job to go on my own a bit of a challenge. I have to say, things couldn’t be better. As Deb previously mentioned, we have been blessed to have not only enough work but sometimes too much work on our to-do list. While that has caused a few moments of anxiety (at least on my part) it is a position that we wouldn’t trade for the anything. Of course all things change and we are always on the lookout for opportunities to improve our working situation.
In my case I’ve found there really is no way to prepare for the changes that take place when you start working for yourself from home. As a mother I had grand illusions of working a regular day shift and having the evenings and the weekends to spend time with my son. Unfortunately that is not always the case when you start out. Imagine my surprise when I discovered that you cannot always “write” on demand. Since my job in particular requires a bit of creative energy….I found that sometimes when I have the time to work, I don’t have the right mind set and vice versa. This had lead to some scheduling conflicts that I have since resolved for the most part. Heeding the advice of wiser, more experienced women in the same field, I have accepted that in some situations I just have to “go with the flow” and try not to force the issue. Of course when you have clients and deadlines you cannot always just let things go until you feel inspired, however learning when you have to buckle down and when you have some wiggle room has been an important lesson I have learned.
Overall this experience to date has been one that has taught me more than I have learned in years on other jobs. I have found that there is nothing more motivating than working for yourself. Fear of failure and a strong desire to succeed make it possible to put 110% into your work which is not often the case when you work for an employer. We are not building a business for someone else, we are working our tails off to build a business for ourselves and our children. Believe me, that is enough to keep you on track even when you don’t feel like getting to work each day. As with everything in life there are ups and downs to working for yourself, especially when you work from home. Many people advised me to make sure I didn’t get sidetracked with household responsibilities, however I seem to have leaned in the opposite direction. I tend to camp out in front of the computer even after I have finished my work for the day. In my situation I have to remember that life is not all about work, even when you love your work. Finding the balance is your life is key to ensure you are not neglecting duties either on the job or at home.
I would have to encourage anyone who is even contemplating working for themselves to learn more about starting their own business. I’m certain my transition has been made infinitely easier by jumping on board with two established writers, which makes it difficult for me to speak of certain aspects of starting your own business. What I do know is that if you have the desire, and the perseverance to give it a shot, working for yourself can be best move many of you who are on the fence could make. I never before felt that I was an “entrepreneur” but I can say that I do not ever want to go back to work for someone else again. This is the what I was meant to do, and I’m glad I took the chance six months ago to give it a try.
On a less serious note, I have to comment on our recent trip together. It was awesome to have the freedom to pack up the kids and hit the road in the middle of the week. I have never before had that freedom and I have to tell you, it feels great. Of course we are all digging our way out of a huge pile of work this week, but it was well worth it to get away for a few days and hang out together “in real life”. Stay tuned for more updates in the future, and until then keep working toward your goals, whatever they may be…..anything is possible if you set your mind to it.
Posted by Tisha Tolar on June 4, 2009
It’s been an interesting week in EMB world. The Empowering Mom Bloggers have come together in person (we don’t all live in the same place) to hang out for a few days with the Baby Bloggers. So far all four kids (2 are aged 3, 2 are aged 6) have gotten along fabulously and it is so great to see.
Us freelance moms haven’t gotten much work done consistently but it’s been so great to be together. Typically, the three of us work soley via the internet. Rarely do we even talk by phone. We have created a very successful business in this manner and sometimes it is mindblowing when we are all actually together, face-to-face. At first, it was almost too weird to be having a conversation with someone whom you only write to via email and IM. But we are getting used to it. We’ve all been to each other’s hometowns by now and met each other’s families.
As the oldest ones are right now playing Wii and the littlest ones are at last snoozing in their beds, I wanted to take a moment and express my gratitude for how much we all have together and add to each other’s lives. We may not get to see each other very often but our working relationship is likely better than a large percentage of co-workers and business owners across the country. It goes to show that when you follow your heart’s desire, you end up with treasures you never even knew you needed or wanted in your life.
It’s been a beautiful journey so far and the road is still so much longer. I am just so glad I have such wonderful traveling companions in Trish and Deb. Our kids are all so wonderful together too and it really does the heart and the spirit good to see it all come together.
Hope everyone has a great Thursday and a wonderful weekend. Next week, I will be back strong with some new Mom Biz posts and whatever else wondrous thoughts come out of this mini-work week.
Posted by Tisha Tolar on June 1, 2009
Deanna!
Congratulations, girl! We will send you an email shortly to gather some vital information from you. You should recieve your Amazon Gift card shortly. What an awesome gift! (We hope you spend it on yourself!)
We also want to thank all of the participates who signed up to Empowering Mom Blog. We appreciate the feedback and really hope you’ll stick around to see what we have to offer you. Be sure to check out our Mom Biz Spotlight series, that showcases the coolest moms who have captured their entrepreneurial spirit!
Again - congrats Deanna and enjoy your winnings!!
Happy Monday to everyone!
Posted by Tisha Tolar on
Melissa’s Websites: 
Melissa Sullivan, who lives with her husband Sean and their two young children, first became an entrepreneur in August of 2004 before she even became a mom. As a life-long crafter, she was usually involved with creative projects to fulfill her hobbyist enthusiasms. It wasn’t until 2006, when her first child was born that Melissa took a more serious look at what her hobby could do for her family financially and structurally. As a first-time mom, Melissa had little desire to leave her daughter and return to a career in teaching but she did eventually go back on a part time basis. It was when she had her second child that she decided returning to anything but her children full time just wouldn’t do. All along, she had an inkling that her scrapbooking talents and her affiliation with the Stampin’ Up company was the dream she wanted to make a reality. After her second child was born, she did just that.
Melissa says “I continued my Stampin’ Up! business alongside my full time teaching job with the hopes that I would be able to stay home after the birth of our son. This year, I have been able to live that dream and my Stampin’ Up! business has made great contributions to our family security.”
Melissa discovered Stampin’ Up! When she was invited by her sister-in-law to attend a party. The last thing she ever imagined is that she would be successful hosting her own parties.
“You can ask anyone, I NEVER wanted to be in direct sales. I love having parties and buying great products, but NEVER wanted to sell anything. Five years ago, my sister-in-law, Kim, invited me to a Stampin’ Up! party that her sister was having. I love doing crafts so of course I went. We had a blast and made some great projects. I bought my one stamp set and told the demonstrator that I had everything else I needed at home since I had stamped in the past. Well, I was that guest that asked all the right questions, helped her clean up, and had that “sign me up” glow. I figured if nothing else, I could get the supplies I wanted because they have a great product line. After several months of “working the husband” and learning more about Stampin’ Up!, I finally talked Sean into letting me sign up. Fast forward 5 years, and here I am now with a successful business doing what I love!
Finding a dream fulfilled is one thing – finding balance between work and home when you work at home is another story.
“Balance, really? Yes, I do find it. That’s one of the best things about being my own boss. I decide when I’m going to work and when I’m going to be off. And if something comes up and we want to do it as a family, I have that flexibility. My husband, Sean, is also a great support. He’ll take the kids for a few hours so I can have some uninterrupted work time.”
Melissa works from an extra room in the family home but spends a lot of time socializing and sponsoring classes for scrapbooking in her community.
“I LOVE working from home. I love being around to see my kids all day, take them to activities during the day, and do all of the “mom” things I enjoy. Unfortunately come August, I’ll be returning to my full-time teaching job. Since the economic downturn, my hubby was laid off. We need to make sure we have health insurance.”
While the economy may have put a hitch in her intention of working for herself full time, Melissa knows that she will continuing doing what she loves and earning supplemental income even if on a part time basis. Her advice for other moms thinking about making the entrepreneurial jump:
“It’s all about you! You have to make the decision based on what’s best for you and your family. I ask my potential recruits why they want the business. It’s the “why” that helps them map out their plans for their business and reaching their goals. Having an independent business has been one of the best decisions I have made. Not only do we reap the monetary benefits, but I have met so many wonderful people that have contributed to my success!”
Congratulations to Melissa Sullivan, our first Empowered Mom feature! Be sure to visit Melissa’s websites and check out what she has to offer. Don’t be afraid to contact Melissa about your interest in what she does and if you want to learn more about how she does it, email me tisha (at) trifectallc (dot) com.
Posted by Tisha Tolar on May 29, 2009
This week has been a nightmare…first the holiday throws me off schedule and I am always one day behind. Then the ole laptop has to go in for repairs, leaving me feeling as though I have lost one of my limbs. Then the blog here wouldn’t allow me to sign in for a few days.
Needless to say - I missed posting the winners for the Monday May 25th giveaway of free membership to the first month of the Make Money from Writing program. So without further adieu….
WINNER #1 - Amberleigh
WINNER #2 - Meagan
Congratulations to you both. You’ll be receiving an email soon with more details. AGain, sorry for the lateness of the announcement. Hope no one was holding their breath!
Remember, the final giveaway will occur on Sunday, May 31st - $100 AMAZON GIFT CARD. Sign up now if you haven’t and come back on Sunday to see if you are the BIG WINNER!!
ALSO! I am sooo excited to present a new series I have been working on that will detail the lives of self-employed, power moms who do it all at home and have found enormous success!! I have been rallying wonderful woman who have agreed to participate and I hope to have the first series post up starting next week! It should give you all great insight into how other moms have been empowered to take control of their lives at home and at work.
Congrats to our winners once again. I hope you have a relaxed, sunshiney weekend. See you on Sunday for the giveaway.
Posted by Tisha Tolar on May 21, 2009
Yesterday, my daughter who is 6, asked about having some ice cream for her nightly snack. I told her that there was no ice cream left because someone ate it all. She shook her head from side to side and just said “Daddy”. I politely informed her that her daddy was not the one who ate all the ice cream.
She looks up at me and says “Well, we can just run over to the store and get some new ice cream”. I said “Sure, with my good looks or my charm?” (my usual answer when someone wants something we really don’t have the money to buy). My sweet little daughter looks in my face, than looks me up and down and says “Your charm“.
Nice right??? Happy Thursday!
Invention Mama
ad! I even took a picture to show you my inventiveness. (see below)
